Odell Beckham reveals 'biggest regret' of Giants boat photo

Publish date: 2024-05-14

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Odell Beckham Jr. revealed what really went down on the night the infamous Giants boat photo was taken in 2017, and explained why it makes him mad when people joke about it still.

The Ravens’ wide receiver — who was the 12th overall pick by the Giants in 2014, and spent five seasons with New York — explained what led to the Miami trip, where he and his former Giants teammates, including Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard, were photographed on a yacht following their win over Washington in the regular-season finale.

The Giants were on their way to the playoffs after that Dec. 31 victory, and Beckham said he and his teammates just wanted to let off a little steam to celebrate the new year before their wild-card matchup with the Packers — which turned out to be a disastrous 38-13 defeat in Green Bay on Jan. 8.

Beckham explained his biggest regret was that he let the fallout from the infamous boat photo strip him of his confidence heading into the wild-card matchup.

“When the picture came out, the energy — I’m a huge energy person … everybody around me, even in my own self, I felt like we had lost,” Beckham said during an appearance on the “Punch Line” podcast, hosted by his teammate Marlon Humphrey.

The infamous Giants boat photo in January 2017. X/@BoatTripRecord

“I had the best week in practice, I didn’t let it bother me, tried to dance it off … but deep down inside something had felt wrong. The attention had been shifted from the New York Giants versus the Green Bay Packers to this boat story.

“My biggest regret about all of that is that incident allowed that to happen. Not that I went and had a good time on New Year’s. It’s that I put myself in a situation where this story could be used to create a distraction from what’s really going on.”

Beckham remembered that he and his teammates “were on a high” after the Giants’ win against Washington.

New York Post front page cover for Monday, January 9, 2017. vmodica
Odell Beckham Jr. talks about his Giants tenure on the “Punch Line with Marlon Humphrey” podcast January 16, 2023. YouTube/Punch Line Podcast

“It’s New Year’s that night,” he said. “You’re gonna go celebrate, whether you’re going out in New York or Miami. We decided we were gonna fly down there, have a good little night, hop back on the plane and get out of there, no problem.

“The night happens. We’re calling the pilots, something is going on, the flight’s going to be delayed until 6 a.m. now. … So we end up going to an after-party where there was Trey Songz there, Justin Bieber. We were just kicking it … chilling. This was a house that was on the water. A boat ends up coming out there out there. … I’m like, … We’ll go out there and then come back in.’ ”

Beckham went on to explain that he hadn’t packed anything for the night, and ended up borrowing Cruz’s Timberland boots.

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) in the second quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on Nov. 23, 2014. AP

“If you look at the picture now that I tell you the story, you could tell that no one on that boat thought that his picture would be posted before going to the playoffs,” he said.

“The sun is beaming on you, your shirt’s off. We’re on no sleep, we’re tired, we’re ready to go home, We’ve been ready to go home. We already had our night, we did what we needed to do.”

Beckham wouldn’t reveal the name of the person who posted the photo.

Odell Beckham Jr. talks about his Giants tenure on the “Punch Line with Marlon Humphrey” podcast January 16, 2023. YouTube/Punch Line Podcast
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) catches a pass as Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou (4) defends during the first half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023. AP

“Looking back in hindsight, was it the best decision to even enjoy yourself on New Year’s or have a night out? No,” he said.

Beckham was limited by the Packers’ defense and finished with four catches for 28 yards — and the Giants’ receivers were plagued by drops.

He also shut down recent rumors that he had planned to rent out a massive yacht called “The Spirit of Baltimore” for the Ravens’ offensive players before the playoffs.

“Bulls–t,” Beckham said. “It makes me mad. Those plans were never had. It’s like the joke lives on. That joke is weak and played out.

“I’ve become a father since then, I’ve won a whole Super Bowl [with the Rams], I’ve become three different people, three evolutions of myself since that time. It’s like reminding someone of their past, like, ‘Oh you can never change.'”

Beckham’s life has changed since his stint with the Giants, during which he made his famous one-handed catch on “Sunday Night Football.”

Following two seasons with Cleveland, Beckham was traded to the Rams and won a Super Bowl in 2022.

Days after he won his first championship, Beckham and his now ex-girlfriend Lauren Wood welcomed their son Zydn on Feb. 17.

The three-time Pro Bowl wideout signed a one-year contract with the Ravens last April.

The Ravens (13-4) host the Houston Texans (11-7) in the divisional round on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

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